Snow, Cancellations and Chaos…

It’s cold, windy and icy across the UK and the road conditions are treacherous, schools have closed and dozens of flights, ferries and rail services have been cancelled.
The Met Office has issued an amber alert across Wales, the Midlands and Northern and Eastern England. The East Midlands, East Anglia, Scotland, N. Ireland, South West England and South-East England have been issued a yellow warning.

Those heading on their holiday for some much-needed winter sun are advised to check with their airline or transport provider before leaving home and if they are still travelling, ensure they leave plenty of time for traffic delays.

In most cases it is the airlines responsibility to provide compensation, but what about your travel insurance?
Delays and Cancellations
If your flight has been cancelled the airline is responsible for reimbursing the cost of the flight or arranging a later flight. With regards to a delay, some airlines will provide compensation for refreshments and accommodation but this will differ between companies.
Your travel insurance may offer ‘trip disruption’ cover which will cover a small amount of compensation for each set block of time you are delayed (usually every 12 hours you are delayed, but some policies will offer compensation every 6 hours). If your flight is delayed for over 24 hours your travel insurance will cover any non-refundable costs if you decide to cancel your trip.

Missed Departure
The road conditions are dreadful and many motorists are experiencing severe delays, particularly on major motorways, which may cause you to miss your flight, train or ferry. It’s worth noting, there are only a few travel insurance policies that will cover missed departure due to traffic delays, and this cover tends to be the exception rather than the rule. So, if you are looking for a travel insurance policy, it may be worth checking if this cover is available from your chosen provider.
If you do miss your departure due to weather conditions, your airline may be able to book you onto the next available flight but this will be at your cost, which could possibly be claimed back from your travel insurer – but this would be dependent on the policy you have.